The Boca Digest

The Boca Digest is a weekly email newsletter that will keep you informed with the latest news, events, restaurant deals, local real estate and personal stories. Everything you need to know will be personally delivered to you every Thursday!

More than 1,000 students march on Boca Raton City Hall – 2/22/18

February 21, 2018 By Writing for Boca Digest Leave a Comment

At least 1,000 students from Boca Raton High School, Boca Raton Middle School, Omni Middle School, Olympic Heights and West Boca Raton High School converged at Boca Raton City Hall to urge for gun control.

Nicole Auchinleck, a 17-year-old at Boca Raton High, said she helped coordinate the massive rally using the social media app Snapchat.

“They’re underestimating us,” Auchinleck said of lawmakers, parents and school officials. “This is the new generation.”

Boca Raton students walk to the school where 17 students died

PARKLAND, Fla. – What started as a simple protest, West Boca High School students walking out of class, rallying in the courtyard demanding change, evolved into a 10-mile march from their school to the scene of last week’s school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Read full article…

Florida Lottery scratch off nets Boca Raton man $1 million

A Boca Raton man has quite a bit more cash in his pocket after winning a big prize playing the Florida Lottery.

The Florida Lottery said in a Monday news release that James Barie, 60, of Boca Raton, claimed a $1 million top prize in the FLORIDA 20X THE CASH scratch-off game.

Read full article…

The Boca Raton Museum of Art’s renovation is underway

The Boca Raton Museum of Art’s exterior is getting a brand-new look. A new $1.5 million landscape architecture project for the museum designed by Glavovic Studio and Studio Roberto Rovira is currently underway. This renovation seeks to reintroduce the museum’s entrances, which were somewhat obscured after Mizner Park Amphitheater was built nearby.

Read full article…

This weekend’s events

1. Florida Jazz and Blues Jam 2018 WITH GOV’T MULE – January 27 @ 2:00 pm – April 2 @ 11:00 pm ($24)

2. All British Classic Car Show – February 11 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm (FREE)

3. Festival of the Arts: Kathleen Battle – February 15 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

4. Happy Hour With Mike Mineo at The Funky Biscuit – February 22 @ 5:00 pm

5. Boca Raton Festival of the Arts Itzhak Documentary – February 22 @ 7:00 pm ($20)

6. DADA: Micah Scott – February 22 @ 11:00 pm – February 23 @ 2:00 am

7. Casino Night 2018: Pirates, Wenches and Thieves – February 23 @ 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm ($25 – $300)

8. Jazziz One Nite Stand featuring Bob James – February 23 @ 7:30 pm

9. Flow Tribe at The Funky Biscuit – February 23 @ 9:00 pm

10. Boca Raton Green Market – February 24 @ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Sign up for the FREE BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Our mission is to provide the best community resources for the amazing residents of Boca Raton. If you have a business you want to have listed, you can do so for free by filling out this form.

See you next week

– Tim Stoddart

Horrors in Parkland – 2/15/18

February 15, 2018 By Writing for Boca Digest Leave a Comment

A former student armed with a rifle stalked the halls of a Florida school, breaking windows and shooting terrified students in a massacre that left 17 people dead Wednesday, authorities said.

The suspect, Nikolas Cruz, 19, had once been expelled from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School over disciplinary problems, Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said, without providing specifics.

Cruz allegedly turned on the fire alarm, sending many students running outside, where he fired shot after shot before following people inside the building, officials said.

Suspect in South Florida school massacre booked into jail, charged with 17 counts of murder

Shortly before 5:45 a.m. Thursday, the young man accused in a shooting that left more than a dozen people dead was escorted into Broward’s Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale. Nikolas Cruz was surrounded by Broward Sheriff’s deputies who walked him inside the facility.

Read full article…

Brightline train hits car stopped on tracks in Boca Raton

A man is in the hospital after a Brightline train hit his vehicle that was stopped on the tracks, according to Boca Raton police.

Jessica Desir, public information officer for city police, said at about 8 p.m. officers were called to the intersection of Camino Real and South Dixie Highway where a train hit a vehicle. Witnesses told police that a car was stopped on the tracks at a red light when the gates came down. Police said the unidentified elderly driver could not make it out of the vehicle and was hit.

Read full article…

Bridal shop in Boca Raton responds to questions of her store closing

The owner of a Bridal shop in Boca Raton says she is closing down. This comes after customers were trying to get ahold of the owner for weeks, wondering if they were going to get their dresses.

Brittany Burns owns a Bridal shop but sent out an email Monday night saying her store was closing and she was moving home with her family.

This weekend’s events

1. Festival of the Arts: Kathleen Battle – Grammy Award winning American soprano Kathleen Battle represents the pinnacle of accomplishment in the world of music. With an incomparable voice, and a career that spans the entire globe, Battle has won numerous awards, and has appeared on the greatest stages with some of the most renowned musicians in the world.

2. Happy Hour With Mike Mineo – Mike Mineo is a Nashville based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Originally from South Florida and coined the genre “Beach Soul”. Mike has released 5 full length albums and 3 EPs. Each release has experimented with different themes and genres with an impressive prolificness and attention to content that provides sustenance for the soul of the listener.

3. A Very Special Evening With Jesse Colin Young – For 50 years Jesse Colin Young has been singing songs about peace, relationships and the environment. From his folk days in Boston and his first record, Soul Of a City Boy, he has articulated and recorded the tumultuous times of the 60s, 70’s, 80’s to the present, while reminding us that it is all about family, community and the precious natural world we live in.

4. Boca Raton Green Market – Grab your shopping bags and head on over to the Boca Raton GreenMarket! Boca’s GreenMarket has continually been dedicated to local food production and consumption….produce that travels from farm direct to the dining table……and through the process supporting the Florida agricultural industry and the economy of our south Florida area.

Write for Boca Digest

Our mission is to provide the best community resources for the amazing residents of Boca Raton. If you have a message you want to share or you want to be a writer for our publication, please fill out this contact form.

See you next week

– Tim Stoddart

*** This most recent school shooting is horrifying and sad. Of course our thoughts and prayers go to the family but I ask that everyone takes a second to hug the person next to them and reach out to someone who may be struggling. You never know the impact you can have by simply lending a helping hand.***

It’s a Beautiful Morning

December 1, 2017 By Writing for Boca Digest Leave a Comment

12/1/17

Good morning,

The weather is finally breaking. It’s 6 am and I am sitting on my hammock writing this week’s newsletter. It feels so good outside right now. Every December, I am reminded as to why I live here. Yeah the summers can be brutal, but the winters are glorious. There have been a few nights when I even put on a hoodie, and that felt great!

We had a great week here at Boca Digest. We have some exciting announcements in this week’s newsletter, as well as the top stories for the week to keep you informed. Let’s get started.

– Tim Stoddart

Check Out the Boca Raton Green Market

Grab your shopping bags and head over to the Boca Raton Green Market.

No where else can you find such an array of fresh produce, friendly people, organic products and healthy, beautiful foods. Boca’s Green Market has continuously brought us locally sourced food and this event has a great impact in supporting the Florida agricultural industry and the overall south Florida economy.

Sign Up for This Years Meadow Park Biathlon

Man, I’m really tempted to give this a go.

Next Saturday, the annual Meadows Park Biathlon is happening. This challenging, yet doable race is for anyone who wants to get a few miles in before they start their weekend. Read more about the event and sign up below.

The Best Restaurant Directory in Town

This week, we finally launched the Boca Raton Restaurant Directory. We are aiming to put together the best list of resources for all restaurants in Boca. We will have reviews, pictures, ratings and even locations on the map.

Eventually we will expand to other businesses, but for now, let’s eat!

Add Your Listing

For the next month or so, we will be giving away free directory listings. Come the new year, we will be charging $99 for the year, and continue to increase prices as the site goes. If you have a restaurant, a bakery, a taco stand, please sign up.

Write for Boca Digest

As our audience grows, we want to continue to open it up to the wonderful people of Boca Raton. We invite you to write an article for our website. You can feature a link to a project you are working on in your author bio.

Keep in mind, if you are promoting a business, that is a paid service. Find out more at the link below.

Write for Boca Digest…

Thanks everyone! As usual, have a great weekend and feel free to reach out with any questions! You can contact me here.

2017 Meadows Park Pool Biathlon

December 1, 2017 By Writing for Boca Digest 1 Comment

When: December 9

Where: Meadows Park Pool • 1300 NW 8th St Boca Raton, FL 33486

This great event has a children’s age group (17 years or younger) and an adult age group (18 years or older)

About This Event

The event is a 1,000-yard pool swim (0.6 miles) followed by a 5K run (3.1 miles).

Event Details and Schedule

The race will consist of 2 heats with 18 participants in each heat, the first heat at 7:00am and the second heat at 7:30am. Check-in is at 6:15am. Two swimmers share each lane and swim on the same side of the lane the entire swim (no circle swimming).

Awards are presented to the top 3 male and top 3 female finishers. Refreshments will be provided the morning of the race. All race participants receive a tech running shirt and a race bag. These items will be distributed at check-in the morning of the race.

Some Feel Good Stories from Boca Raton

November 24, 2017 By Writing for Boca Digest Leave a Comment

11/24/17

Good morning Boca,

Today is the day after Thanksgiving. I hope most of you have the day off. I hope you all enjoyed this important time with family and friends and giving thanks to the many blessings we have in life.

I’m sure many of you are running around like crazy people trying to find the best deals for your holidays gifts. Good luck! I think I’ll pass on the black Friday shopping.

I found some great stories for you this week. As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or you want to get a story published.

Enjoy this week’s newsletter.

Hundreds start Black Friday early in Boca Raton

Hundreds gathered at the Town Center mall in Boca Raton on Thursday evening for a first chance at Black Friday deals.

Macy’s opened its doors at 5 p.m. to shoppers coming from as far as Davie and Puerto Rico. Brian Gallipeau of Delray Beach said he came in after dinner for a little exercise and to see if there were any good deals.

Kevin Bradford of Davie said he was bargain hunting for watches.

Woman wins Palm Beach annual Turkey Trot for the first time

It was a historic day for the Town of Palm Beach United Way Turkey Trot as a woman led the way across the finish line for the first time in the history of the annual 5K race.

Anne-Marie Blaney of Ocala also set a record for with her winning time of 16:54 and a mile pace of 5:26. Blaney, 24, runs for Hansons-Brooks Olympic Development program in Rochester, Mich.

Jewish Community Center provides Thanksgiving meals, hospitality

Thanks to Jewish Family Services and the Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton, volunteers made sure no one was alone for Thanksgiving, providing a warm meal among friends.

An overwhelming number of volunteers made sure more than 700 guests were not alone for the holiday.

Elysa Bowski of Ukraine was in attendance and was proud to be among nice, hospitable people.

7 South Florida Holiday Events to Get You in the Festive Spirit

The holidays are almost here! Although it won’t and never will be a “White Christmas” for us Floridians in terms of snow, there are still plenty of ways to get in the holiday spirit. Here are seven sparkling happenings taking place in Boca and its neighboring towns this gorgeous month of November.

Get Ready for the Movember Mustache Party

LIVE Music on 2 Stages by:
Ethan Parker Band
Octo Gato
and Dj Misha Samson

Hosted by Damian Pinto the “The Voice” & Official Host of Ultra Music Festival & UMF Worldwide.

A Big Announcement from the Boca Digest

November 17, 2017 By Writing for Boca Digest Leave a Comment

11/17/2017

Happy Friday everyone,

In case you didn’t get my email yesterday, I am very excited to announce the new Boca Digest business directory.

There’s only three listings so far, but signing up is FREE and it will be for quite some time. My goal is provide a comprehensive directory that will be of value to the residents of Boca Raton. Everything you will need in one convenient place.

Anyways, I hope you are all doing well. As always, if you know of any stories or if you have something you would like to share, you can always send it to me via our contact form. Boca Digest is an open forum for everyone!

Talk next week. Enjoy this week’s newsletter.

Tim Stoddart

Boca Raton may seize people’s property to preserve beachfront

A tough predicament. The Boca Raton beach is slowly eroding, but in order to preserve the beach, the city will need to seize property owners beach front properties. This could get interesting.

Boca Raton fined 14K by FHSAA for illegal offseason basketball practice; coach suspended

Boca Raton High School has been fined $14,000 and placed on administrative probation by the FHSAA for holding an illegal boys basketball practice out of season.

Head coach Max Spinner has been suspended three weeks for his role in the workout, according to a Palm Beach County School District spokesperson. Spinner will be allowed to return on Dec. 6. John Peterson is currently serving as interim coach.

Burglary investigation prompts heavy police presence in Boca Raton

St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton was placed on lockdown for a time Thursday as officers searched for burglary suspects, police said.

Police later said they had three suspects in custody.

A Walk on The Ashley Trail

Spend some time exploring the great outdoors in Boca Raton this summer at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. A Walk on The Ashley Trail is a recurring event that takes place every Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This guided tour includes an informative walk through the Mangroves, down to the beach and to the Butterfly Garden.

Annual Boca Raton Bowl Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase & College Spirit Night Served Up Tailgate

Boasting more crowd-pleasing culinary diversity, chef stations, and “fan-fare”, the Boca Raton Bowl’s third annual Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase & College Spirit Night officially kicked off a strong wave of Palm Beach County pride for the County’s own NCAA-sanctioned college football bowl game. It did so while driving ticket sales and raising $14,000 in funds to Spirit of Giving’s annual holiday gift drive.

7 South Florida Holiday Events to Get You in the Festive Spirit

Weekend News Recap: Top 5 Stories in Boca Raton and Surrounding Areas

October 30, 2017 By John Ferreira Leave a Comment

It’s that time of the week again, where we reflect on the news of yesterday and the other 6 days prior. Where are we now as a state and as a country? What craziness did the infamous “Florida Man” get him self into this week? How are we making out after Irma? There’s a lot of questions that c an be answered about the news in Boca Raton and the news in Florida, these are what I believe to be the top news stories from last week (in no particular order).

The Florida Keys are Showing Their Strength After Irma’s Devastation – Fantasy Fest is a Go

The Southern Keys are far from being rebuilt after Hurricane Irma came through as a category 5, storm surges washed over these small islands from one side to the other. Homes were leveled, business were lost and trees were scattered everywhere. Key West is known for it’s laid back attitude, never ending drinks, live music and source of community. Irma did little to stop that.

Fantasy Fest is a 10 day event highlighted by the parade that was held on Saturday 10/28. Over 50 floats take part in the Fantasy Fest Parade, one float was made from debris created by Irma, another float had a very FEMA feeling theme to it. Showing that it takes a lot more than “the most devastating storm to ever hit the Florida Keys” to put more than a dent in spirit of that amazing place.

Fantasy Fest was the first major event hosted in the Southern Keys since Irma hit.

Florida Man Who is Also an Attorney Arrested After Passing Contraband to Inmates

In Bay County Florida a Florida Man, Greg Wilson, was arrested on charges of perjury and introduction of contraband into a detention facility. Wilson was at a women’s detention center where Deputies say an inmate told them Wilson was passing out cologne-soaked business cards multiple times. He asked her to give them to other female inmates so they could have “the smell of a man in their cell”.

“Something’s not right when you’re bringing business cards that are sprayed with cologne into a jail,” Sauline said. “Either someone is trying to create some sort of relationship with an inmate or maybe they’re covering up another scent or something, but that just doesn’t pass the common sense test.”

Sneaking in contraband is a third-degree felony. Law enforcement tell us all parties involved could be charged. Wilson is innocent until proven guilty.

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Have Been Banned in Boca Raton

Going the opposite way of Boyton Beach and Lake Worth, Boca Raton has decided to not have Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in their town. City council members voted to ban medical marijuana dispensaries in Boca Raton. They said the council said they could again discuss the issue once the legislature clarifies the rules. Other local South Florida Towns including Delray Beach, Royal Palm and Palm Beach Gardens have all decided to not allow dispensaries in their towns.

Man From Boca Raton Has Been Stabbed to Death in a Parking Garage in Fort Lauderdale

This happened early Saturday morning according to police. Officers said Peter Bombardiere, 24, of Boca Raton was killed at 4:10 a.m. after an altercation inside the Governmental Center parking garage located at 151 Southwest Second St. in Fort Lauderdale.

He was taken to a local hospital, but sadly died of his injuries. I do not like posting sad stories like this, but this is an open case. The police are asking for our help and our readers to help find who did this.

If you know anything or know any who may know something about this altercation to contact Fort Lauderdale police Sgt. Steve Novak at 954-828-5534 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is Coming: See Some of the Most Magnificent Vessels on Earth

This is the 58th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show takes place from November 1 to 5, 2017. It takes place at 7 locations and covers over 3 million square feet of exhibit space, the show displays an amazing variety of boats, marine products and accessories. A wide variety of boats will be on display including runabouts, sport fishers, high performance boats, center consoles, cabin cruisers, flats boats, skiffs, express cruisers, sailing yachts, motor yachts, bowriders, catamarans, ski boats, jet boats, trawlers, inflatables, canoes, and extraordinary super yachts. 10 of the world’s largest super yachts will be featured this year.

Tell Us What You Think

How do you feel about the Boca Raton saying no to medical marijuana dispensaries? It has been proven to help lower crime rates, create jobs and provide a huge influx of tax revenue in towns and cities where it is in effect. Do you support Boca’s decision? Let us know why or why not! We want to hear your opinion.